Saleh Threatens to Kill Yemeni Lawmakers if Quorum is Not Met

Jeddah- Aden- Several lawmakers have been exhausting all efforts in order to escape Sana’a, parliamentary sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

The representatives had been threatened with death should they not attend the parliamentary session scheduled for Saturday and called on by ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The parliamentary session is a desperate attempt by the Houthi-led insurgency to self-legitimize through passing the bill on establishing an insurgency-administered supreme political council.

After forcing a parliamentary vote for the council, two political ends will be met; first, accusing the Saudi-led Arab coalition to restore Yemen’s legitimacy for striking the parliamentary building.

The second political end is to neutralize the last of policymakers who back the legitimate government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and other blocs who had refused to legitimize the insurgency-sought council.

Parliament members stated that they are currently communicating with legitimacy leaders abroad as to retain means of exiting Sana’a and securing their safety.

The city has been under Houthi-lockdown, hence, the members of parliament will be seeking asylum in nearby liberated cities protected by the Yemeni government and the national army.

Threats made by the ousted president Saleh against members of parliament were not short to the assassinations, he also threatened that if quorum does not hold for the session the parliamentary HQ would be leveled down.

The Yemeni parliament fulfills quorum at the presence of 151 members of parliament.

U.N. Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh, in a Friday statement, said that occurring violations are intolerable and do not aid the peace process. He further reiterated that a comprehensive solution for Yemen can only be rendered by political means.

On the field, pro-legitimacy forces advanced on the Nihm axis, which belongs to Sana’a. The coalition’s air campaign carried on raids against insurgency positions and warehouses located inside Sana’a or across its vicinity.

As for Taiz, located in the Yemeni Highlands, pro-legitimacy forces advanced through Tabat reaching to Houthi strongholds in Aljehmlah and the outskirts of the Quraysh neighborhood. Scores on insurgency militiamen were reported killed or injured.